Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-04-22
AFTER TWENTY-FIVE YEARS.

Davenport Church Has Notable Cele.
bratIon Last Observation-Disclosures
ces and Congratulation-Mus and
Song and a Social Time.
Just quarter of a century ago to-day,
April %, 1862, Davenport church was dedi-
Gated. Anniversary exercises were held last
evening, and an entertaining programme
was rendered. Several of the members of the
church who were present at the first services
gave interesting "reminiscences of church
worship in bygone days. Singing by the
quartette of the church choir was an enjoy
able feature of the exercises.
Edwin T. Root gave an account of the or
sanization of the church. He said:
The beginnings of this enterprise were in
EMISSION Work" commenced in Novem-
Der, 1857, by Rev. Edward E. Atwater in
the little chapel on Wallace street. A Sun
day school was established, small congre-
CATION was gathered at preaching service
and a new chapel was built for their use on
Franklin street in 1859, where the regular
preaching and Sunday school services were
held. An increasing congregation gathered,
which indicated permanency, and called for
an independent organization. An ecclesas-
tical society was formed in March, 1850, the
officers of which were as follows:
Ammi Norton, George W. Taylor. Isaac Morris.
Ronald, Gottfried Lehr, Thaddeus Beecher.
lett. ~ >-o~'
The frat annual statement of the church
was as follows:
Total receipts for support Of worship from the
So1gTsgationi for the year $1sS Total expenses
Before the organization of church the en-
terprise was under the care of the Center
church. Communion service was held once
in two months, at which two of the deacons
of the Center church oficiated, Deacon G.
B. Whittlesey being always one of
them and taking lively interest in the enter
prise. After much consideration council
Of the city Congregational churches was
called and held on Monday, April 81, 1852.
Rev. Dr. Bacon was moderator and Chaun0ey
Goodrich scribe. Among the members of
the council was Elihu Atwater, from the
Chapel street church, and the father of the
first pastor of this church and one OF the
promoters of the enterprise, its liberal bene
factor and wise and prudent friend until the
end of his life. The statement of the reasons
for forming the new church was presented
by Samuel H. Seward. Public exercises
relative to the institution of the Davenport
Congregational church were held in the Dav
export chapel on Franklin street, south of
the Green, on Tuesday, April %. Continu-
ing, the speaker gave sketch of further
work and progress of the church and gave
the following list of members April 90, 1862:
Mr.. and Mrs. Edward E. Atwater, Mr.. and
Mrs. George H. Bartlett, Mr.. and Mrs. Will
liam A. Blackney, Mr.. and Mrs. Thaddeus
Beecher, Mrs. Hiram Bristol, Mr.. and Mrs.
James c. Brown, Mrs. Hugh Brown, Mrs.
James Burns, Mr.. and Mrs. Chauncy Clark,
Elianan Dewey, Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel G.
Farren, Mrs. George S. Hamilton, Mr..
Charles F. Tasting, Sarah w. Hitchcock,
Mrs George Hotchkiss, Mrs. Henry Lewis,
Richard J. Mayne, Philip B. Miller, Mr.. and
Mrs. Isaac Morris, Ammi Norton, Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank w. Pardee, Mrs. William E.
Parker, Mrs. Henry Parker, Samuel Pilling,
Mrs. John Richardson, Mr.. and Mrs. Samuel
H. Seward, Mrs. Augustus Smith, Caroline
S. Smith, Mrs: William Taylor, Mrs. Nicho-
las A Terhune, Elizabeth Terhune, Mrs.
Ezra Ward, Mrs. Robert Woolworth.
Rev. Edward E. Atwater, the first pastor,
gave "reminiscences of his experience during
the early history of the church. Mr.. Hugh
Galbraith, who has been identified with
the church since its organization, gave an in
teresting reminiscent talk.
After the exercises members of the church
and invited guests retired to the chapel par
1ors where a social reunion took place and
bountiful collation. was served.
The anniversary will be further observed
Sunday. In the morning memorial sermon
will be given by the pastor, Rev. ]. G. Meserve.
Public services with addresses by various
city pastors take place in the evening.